Dual-band wireless router reviews

We test and compare 10 dual-band wireless routers, including models from Apple, Asus and Netgear.

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Last updated: 19th November 2013

There are few things more frustrating than a slow wireless network connection. Dual-band routers can give you faster Wi-Fi than single band units, and some models use the new 802.11ac standard – which aims to replace 802.11n as the fastest gun in town.

You have to ask yourself though, is the upgrade worth the asking price? We bought and tested 10 dual-band routers – half of which have 802.11ac – to see how they compare for:

Our ease of use evaluation takes into account hardware and software. The hardware evaluation includes how easy the router is to install and how easy it is to perform major tasks with the hardware, including help manuals (if any).

The software evaluation includes installation and configuration of any required software, including wizards and/or help instructions or other documentation, taking into account menu layout and ease of configuration.

Performance testing for each router involves transferring data over several distances, using clear line-of-sight without obstructions to establish the maximum throughput capable at short, mid-distance and long-distance marks. We then test signal penetration by using a brick wall as an obstruction - a common scenario in many homes.

We measure transfer speeds by timing how long it takes to transfer 500MB of data using each router. As there were no readily available 802.11ac internal access point cards at time of testing, we used an external Linksys WUMC710 access point at the other end for 802.11ac transfer tests and internal adapters for the 2.4GHz tests.

Speed is measured on 2.4GHz and on 5GHz. As 802.11ac is a 5GHz-only protocol, the 2.4GHz testing is conducted using 802.11n. The 5GHz testing is done using 802.11ac where available, otherwise 802.11n is used.

Testing is conducted over:

Short distance (2.5m) – this provides the maximum throughput speed as a benchmark for the other distances.

Mid-distance (35m)

Long distance (70m)

Obstructed (10m distance through a single domestic brick wall).

All testing is done at a remote location free from interfering signals, as the 2.4GHz band in particular is used by many domestic devices. No other devices were in use during testing.